A central venous catheter (CVC), also referred to as a central venous line or central venous access, is for example inserted via a vein of the upper body part into the venous system, wherein the end of the central venous catheter ends in the upper or lower cava of the right atrium of the heart. Alternatively a central venous catheter can be inserted at another location into the venous system of the human or animal body, like the leg vein (vena famoralis).
Using the central venous catheter for example highly concentrated electrolytic solutions and nutrium solutions can be inserted into the venous system. Furthermore, a central venous catheter permits to measure the central venous pressure as an indication for the intravascular volume (which equals to the blood volume).
A central venous catheter can comprise up to six lumina, wherein typically two or three lumina are used in a central venous catheter. Using the individual lumina for example parenteral nutritions, catecholamines and antibiotics can be inserted into the venous systems in parallel, without the danger of an incompatibility between the single substances.
The usage of a central venous catheter can lead to a colonization, particular at the entry point of the central venous catheter into the human or animal body with bacteria or fungi. These bacteria or fungi can cause a so called central venous catheter associated bacteraemea, fungaemea or a catheter related blood screen infection (CRBSI), which can be life-threatening for patients.
From the prior art it is known to fix the catheter access relative to the entry point into the human or animal body and to cover the entry point using a self-adhesive plaster. Furthermore, for example the self-adhesive plaster which is distributed by company 3M Medica under the name “Tegaderm™ CHG”, comprises a gel pad with an anti-microbial activity, whereby a colonization with bacteria or fungi should be prevented.
The self-adhesive plaster “Glycosave Soft” distributed by company Mediglobe comprises an anti-microbial gel pad in the area of the entry point of the catheter to prevent a colonization with bacteria or fungi.
The devices known from the prior art for covering a catheter access to a human or animal body, particular a central venous catheter access, have the disadvantage, that the catheter is bent in the area of the entry point, whereby the cross section of the lumina within the catheter is changed, which leads to a change in the flow rate.